3 Reasons Why Ricardo Ledo Should Sign With the Providence Friars

When it comes to talking about the most complete shooting guard in the 2012 class, Ricardo Ledo is certainly at the center of the conversation. The 6’6 Ledo can do everything you would want out of a guard. NBA shooting range? Check. Ball handling skills of a point guard? Check. Ability to rebound? Without a doubt. Not surprisingly, many of the heavy hitters in college basketball are vying to sign him. Recently, he narrowed his list to a final five; Connecticut, Syracuse, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Providence. Obviously, the school that sticks out on that list is the Providence Friars. However, here are three reasons why the blue chip shooting guard should sign with the Rhode Island school.

1. He will be center of the offense from day one. Coming out of high school, what is one of the most important factors for deciding where to commit? Playing time. If Ricardo Ledo signs with Providence, not only will he be a lock to start at shooting guard from the moment he steps on campus, but he will also have the offense centered around him. If his goal is to get to the NBA as soon as possible, which I’m sure it is, then it makes complete sense to suit up for a Big East school and be the main attraction as an incoming freshman. If there was anything that Marshon Brooks proved last season at PC, it was that  you can turn a one-man show into a first round NBA contract. There is no reason why Ricardo Ledo couldn’t do the same, with just one college basketball season.

2. He will have a high quality point guard to help him carry the load. With the recent signing of top 20 recruit Kris Dunn, Providence will have another potential NBA player on the roster to help him out. No basketball player can get the most out of their ability without the help of a star lead guard…which is exactly what Dunn is. He can penetrate into the lane at ease, score at a high rate, and most importantly, he is a pass-first point guard. What might help Ricardo Ledo the most, however, is that Kris Dunn will help take pressure off of him. By having another quality guard in the backcourt, defenses won’t be able to key on him as much.

3. Providence is his hometown. How many recruits get the chance to play for their hometown school in college? Not many. How many recruits get to play for their hometown school when it’s a power conference affiliate? Even fewer. We’ve already seen that Dajuan Coleman is keeping Syracuse at the top of his list because it is his home. The same is happening for Ledo. Not only did he already commit to the Friars last year (though he decommitted later), but they are again in his final five. Being able to play in your own backyard at a quality facility, the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, in front of friends and family is a special thing.

Ricardo Ledo has the rare opportunity to reach for his NBA dreams in the comfort of his own home, so to speak. Will the Friars be national championship contenders just because they sign him and Kris Dunn? Absolutely not. However, in this day and age, most nationally acclaimed recruits are’t looking for championships, they are looking for the quickest way to a large payday. If Ledo is in fact one of these recruits, signing with Providence may just be the easiest way to achieve this dream.

 

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